The New Murrey and Blue blog

Oh dear, my title line is again indicative of my allegiances. Why is it that Henry VIII—aka Fat Henry—is seemingly always mentioned as a promotional point of some sort? He was an awful man, and nothing to brag about. Ask his wives, to three of whom he gifted King’s Langley. Short tenure, I imagine.

Be that as it may, as far as I’m concerned, King’s Langley was the royal hunting lodge/palace of the Plantagenet kings and was first mentioned in the reign of Henry III (1216-1272). Edward II’s infamous favourite Piers Gaveston was buried at King’s Langley Priory. His tomb is now lost. Edward III spent a lot of time at the royal hunting lodge….especially with his notoriously grasping mistress Alice Perrers.

Edward III’s unfortunate grandson Richard II was buried at King’s Langley because his murdering usurping cousin Henry IV didn’t dare inter him at Westminster. Henry feared a cult around the king he’d disposed of terminally and whose throne he’d stolen the throne. So Richard’s remains were banished to King’s Langley Priory instead. It was the usurper’s son, Henry V, who had conscience enough to bring Richard to Westminster Abbey, to join so many of his predecessors, among whom was Richard’s beloved queen, Anne of Bohemia.

But I am told that at one time Richard had chosen King’s Langley as his last resting place, but that he changed his mind when Anne of Bohemia died unexpectedly young and was buried at Westminster Abbey. After that, nothing would do but that in due course Richard was buried at the abbey beside her. But it wasn’t until Henry V’s reign that Richard’s wish was granted.

As for Fat Henry…I’m sure King’s Langley didn’t deserve HIM!

You can read historical detail about King’s Langley here. It tells of a manor King’s Langley called ‘Childerlangele’/Langley Regis, which had strong connections with the House of York. Edmund of Langley, the first Duke of York, was born at King’s Langley in 1362. See here.

The photograph of King’s Langley Priory below was taken from  this site and here. Unfortunately the project did not proceed. You can read more about the priory here. The ruins are now part of a new school.